Queensland and South Australia join forces to call for housing funding certainty

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Housing Ministers from Queensland and South Australia have called on the Federal Government to provide greater funding certainty for homelessness services.

Speaking at a conference in Adelaide on the Future of Housing Assistance, Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works said that it was time the Commonwealth Government provided surety to the organisations and workers providing services and support to Homeless Australians.

South Australian Minister for Social Housing Zoe Bettison said that a lack of funding certainty was preventing state governments and service providers from planning for the long term.

“The National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness is due to expire next year and we are yet to hear anything from the Commonwealth about its replacement,” Ms Bettison said.

“This agreement enables funding for the majority of specialist homelessness services across the country.

“Service providers I talk with say they need certainty around future funding.

“When it comes to such an important issue like this you’d think that we shouldn’t need to have a fight to get funding every two or three years.”

Mr de Brenni said that new funding agreements would not just benefit service providers, but the people that work in the sector

“The least we should offer the men and women that dedicate themselves at the pointy end of social assistance, working with the most vulnerable in our community, is security in their own jobs.

“The causes and resolutions of homelessness and instability in housing are complex and they often require a long term approach to an individuals needs, that’s why I support those working in the sector calling for more stability in funding their work.

“Queensland is keen to work with the Commonwealth to achieve clarity on funding for to enable the development of plans beyond the next few months.”

Ms Bettison and Mr de Brenni said that States would be pursuing a funding agreement with the Commonwealth in the lead up to a meeting of Housing Ministers in November.